Hydrangeas

[Hooper]

Guys-

I am wondering if anyone of you here are gardening pros? I have several hydrangea shrubs which are two years old and they seem to be struggling recently. I also have some seedlings which I am going to try and grow indoors this winter.

If any of you could throw me a few pointers on growing these beautiful plants I would really appreciate it. Maybe you have a favorite website that may help me out (keep it clean please! )

I just fear there is something I should be doing to the outdoor shrubs like pruning or fertilizing to help them get ready for the cold....

Many Thanks, Hooper

[Nebe]

Bassmaster did a wonderful thread about growing and caring for Hydrangeas. It is in the how-to's forum

[Katie]

Not to yell but my mom is.. she owns a gardening business.. i will pm you the phone number or something so you can get in touch with her.. she rencently did something with a bunch of those things.. and she knows everything there is most likely about them (not to brag)

[spence]

2 years huh? They should be just about to take off

-spence

[Flaptail]

I have several Lacy Blue Hydrangeas and have had them for years. Hydrangeas need to be cut back every couple years or they don't do well. The stalks get dried and brittle and the leaves tend to go brown on the edges. If they get growth of a foot or more in one year it kinda stresses them out. This year I cut them all back, they came back fine but no blooms in the year they get cut back. Hydrangeas love damp wet soil (Hydra) not acidic though. Hope that helps.

[Jimbo]

I can't speak to pruning, but I saw a show on TV once that said the hydrangea is one of the plants that responds well when you put your used coffee grounds around the base. I've only had mine a few years, but I do think it showed significant growth after I started doing this once a week.

[mooncusser]

Not to disagree with Flaptail, but what he said is simply not true. Hydrangeas thrive in acidic soil, like that of Cape Cod. In fact, the more acidic, the more brilliant the colors of the blooms and the healthier the plants. If the soil is more base, you will get pinkish blooms and as the acid level increases, the color will change to the typical purples and blues most strive for. Aluminum Sulfate is often added to the soil in areas where the soil is normally base in order to get the purples and blues more brilliant. The aluminum ions "trick"the plant into thinking it's in very acid soil. Also, hydrangeas don't really ever need to be pruned. To do so, you may cause the plant to stop flowering forever.

The best way to take care of them is to remove any dead stems, leaves and shoots at the end of the growing season and then cover the base of the plant with a thick pile of mulch to protect the roots during winter. Some people take this a step further and actually build small frames around the plants and cover the entire plant with layers of leaves to help protect them from freezing. Normally, winter snows help insulate plants' root systems from the cold, but last winter's relatively dry and very cold weather may have done-in a lot of plants. I know I lost some very old Rose of Sharon plants to "winter-kill" last year.

Lastly, you may simply have the wrong hydrangeas for the area you live in. Some varieties are more tolerant of cold than others and with over 100 different varieties of hydrangea, it's quite possible yours just aren't up to snuff. There's a new variety called "endless summer" that was specifically bred to thrive in New England's harsher and colder climates and it has brilliant blooms from late June through September. You may want to see if your local garden center can get some for you and start from scratch.

[Mr. Sandman]

There are a number of confusing varities. The local favorite is called "Nikko Blue". They like acid soil and ONLY FLOWER ON THE SECOND YEAR GROWTH! So if you cut back hard the wrong "dead looking stem" you will get no flowers next season. Go to real good nursery and talk to them, they will show you how to do it.
Why it is confusing is that they now have new varities that flower on the NEW growth...and they look similar. I thought I was losing my mind. I have 40 or so of these plants and they are mixed types.

Lastly, last winter and spring was *really* bad for these plants. We actaully moved down a zone last winter. We also had a late spring frost that killed most of the flowers that were starting to form. Many plants (esp exposed ones) did not flower this year according my local expert. He told me hang in there, if they are still alive they will come back.

I guess my message is don't just cut anything that looks dead. get some advice. Frankly I would not prune it UNLESS it is too big or you want to take the flowers...let'em get big.

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

[slapshot]

I am on my second year of growing hydrangeas. There are books out there that tell you which ones flower on this years growth vs last years growth. My only problem is that we have so many different ones, I cannot identify them in the early spring when they are starting new growth.

This year I have experimented with propegating them. I have found that layering works well, and wounding a stem and placing it in a growing medium works with some but not all varieties. We got the propegating kit from Lee Valley thay allows you to start a new plant from a non-flowering stem.

As far as the pruning goes. I waited until mid spring to see which stems were alive and which were dead before I started cutting. I think that helped, and got flowers on al but one of a dozen shrubs.

Does anybody know if they will grow indoors over the winter? Two of the propegated plants are in pots, and have not been planted. I am wondering if it is too late to put them in the ground or if I should bring them inside?

[mooncusser]

Yes, they will grow indoors. Not all varieties will grow outdoors but most, if not all, will grow indoors. I would not plant the ones you have in pots at this time. You need to let the roots take hold or they may freeze and kill the plant. With the cooler weather most plants stop or slow their growth and the roots probably won't be able to protect themselves.

I should have also mentioned that if you do prune your shrubs, it is best to do so during a warm spell in the middle of winter or very early spring. The new buds tend to form in the fall so that's why you have to wait a season to see flowers.